Railway track grinder



Dec; 13, 1932. H, PERAZZOL; 1,891,174

RAILWAY TRACK GRINDER Filed Feb. 18, 1951 5 sheetssheet 1 D.. 13. 1932. H, PERAZZOL. 1,891,174

RAILWAY TRACK GRINDER Fig-19d Feb. 18, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 13, 1932. H, PERAZZQU 1,891,174

RAILWAY TRACK GRINDER Filed Feb. 18, 1951 5 sheets-sheet 5 d l V67? 60 il' if '321ML Dec. 13, 1932. H, PERAZZOU 1,891,174

RAILWAY TRACK GRINDER Filed Feb. 18, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 O o M 0 u hm De- 13, 1932- H. PERAzzoLl 1,891,174

RAILWAY TRACK GRINDER Filed Fab. 18', 1931 5 sheets-sheet 5 Patented Dec. 13, 1932 OFFICE HENRY PERAZZOLI, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA RAILVAY TRACK GRINDER Application filed February 18, 1931.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in high speed grinders and more particularly to high speed railway track grinders of the portable type having more than one grinding or abrasive wheel.-

One object of the invention is to provide a grinding machine having novel means for adjusting the vertical feed of the grinding wheels.

Another object of the invention is to provide a suitable clutch mechanism intermediate the abrasive members and a source of power for connecting or disconnecting the said abrasive members and the power source, as desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide railway track grinding machines having means whereby either one or more grinding wheels may be connected with or disconnected from the source of power, as desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide a railway track grinding machine having novel means for elevating the said machine and thereby raising the flanges substantially above the rails of the track to permit the entire machine to be removed from the vicinity of the track to permit the passage of a railway train, street car, or the like.

A further object otl the invention is to provide suitable auxiliary rail membersadapted to support the elevating mechanism when the machine is in the raised position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a railway track grinding machine having a novel engine starting mechanism for use when the said machine is equipped with a motor of the internal combustion type.

The invention further resides in certain details of construction hereinafter set forth and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a view in perspective of the machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation viewon line 2-2, of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view partly in section, showing the construction of the mechanism for adjusting the vertical feed on one or the abrasive wheels;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section view on line Serial No. 516,716.

4-4, of Fig. 1, showing the clutch and gear assembly for transmitting power from a motor to the grinding wheel;

Fig. 5 is a detached view in perspective showing the mechanism normally mounted on the under carriage ot the grinding machine for elevating the entire machine to permit the flanges of the traction wheels to clear the track rails and facilitate the removal of the machine;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing the method of removing the entire machine from the vicinity of the track rail by means of the elevating mechanism in conjunction with the sets of auxiliary rails;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section view on line 7, 7 of Fig. 5, showing the mechanism for locking the elevating apparatus in either the fully raised or fully lowered positions;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged side elevation view 70 showing the grinding machine in part equipped with an internal combustion engine and showing certain modifications incorporated in conjunction therewith;

Fig. 9 is a section view on line 9 9 of Fig. 75 8, showing the operation of the novel cranking mechanism used in conjunction with a motor of the internal combustion type;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail section view showing the modified clutch mechanism of F 8 and used in conjunction with a motor of the internal combustion type;

1 Fig. 11 is a section view on line 11--11 of Fig. 10; and

Fig. l2 is a section view along line 12-12 85 of Fig. 10.

The type ot grinding machine herein set Jforth is adapted for use by standard steam or electric railroads to remove surplus metal deposited on the rails to level up cupped joints, and also deposited in certain other special track work by arc welding. The en tire machine is mounted upon four standard insulated traction wheels which rest on the rails ot the track to be ground.y The machine comprises two grinding wheels, each of which is disposed intermediate one pair `of the standard traction wheels residing on one of the track rails, thus positioning the said abrasive wheel above the track and in alignment therewith.

In the past, machines of this type have afforded considerable trouble and difhculty to the operator, in the rein val thereof from the vicinity of the railroad track. In accordance with this invention I provide an operable mechanism in the form of a pair of rollers operated by a suitable mechanism in conjunction with bell crank levers, the rollers embodied in the mechanism being adapted to rest upon pair of supplementary rails placed in the center of the railroad track and transversely with respect to the rails thereof. The bell crank levers and the rollers connected thereto act as a jack to raise the flanges of the traction wheels substantiallyT above the track rails to permit the machine to be readily removed from the vicinity ofthe track.

This invention also provides for an improved method in the form of ay ack screw for feeding the abrasive wheel to the surface of the track rails, and further provides ay suitable and novel clutch mechanism of the jaw type which permits the abrasive wheels to be connected to the source of power at relatively high speeds.

Referring to the drawings, the grinding machine in general comprises a pair of main beam members 1, 1 having suitable bearings 2 supported in the extremities thereof. Four standard insulated railroad traction wheels 3 are rigidly mounted upon the extremities of a pair ofshafts 4, et which are rotatably journaled in the said bearings 2. The main frame further consists of transverse frame members 5, 5 which are rigidly secured to the main beams and preferably extend therebeyond. A sub-frame 6 is slidably mounted upon the transverse members 5 of the main frame by means of ball bearings suitably mounted in the members 7, 7 forming a part of the subframe. The subframe 6 in the present instance'supports a suitable source of power such as an electric motor 8, the shaft 9 of which extends normal to the track rails 'from each end of the motor and is connected to the abrasive wheels 10 through clutch mechanisms and spiral gears mounted within suitable housings 11. For the purpose of simplifying the specification, the description of one of the two similar clutch transmissions will suffice. Y

A gear wheel 12 (see Fig. 4), is rotatably mounted on the motor shaft 9, by means of a ball bearing collar 13. The face of the said gear wheel 12 toward the center of the housing 11 is provided with a plurality of aws 14 adapted for interlocking engagement with similar jaws 15 on al clutch wheel 16 which is slidably mounted upon shaft 9 and rigidly mounted thereon with respect to 'the rotation of the s aid shaft 9.. by means of a key 17. A suitable groove 1S, formed in the circumferential surface of the clutch wheel 16, is adapted to form a pathway for the passage of a segmental block 19 having an aperture 2O in the outer surface thereof. The clutch wheel 16 is operated, in the present instance by a spring pin 21, suitably mounted in the housing 11, the base portion 23 or the inner extremity of the pin 21 being preferably of a diameter greater than the stem of the said spring pin, the purpose of the increase in diameter being to maintain the pin normally wit-hin the housing. On the bottom or lower surface of the enlarged base 23 of the spring pin 21 is a projecting element 24 disposed c ycentrically on the said surface with respect to the geometric center of the base 23 and is of such diameter to permit the insertion thereof into the aperture 2O in the outer surface of the segmental block 19. A spring is placed intermediate the inner surface of the housing 11 and the base 23 of the pin and maintains the said pin normally in the aforementioned aperture 20 formed in the segmental bleck. A laterally extending pin 22 on the outer stem of the pin 21 is normally maintained in suitable grooves in the collar securing the pin, the said grooves being disposed in positions to engage the pin 22 when the clutch is in both the engaged and disengaged positions, thereby preventing the clutch from slipping out of or into engagement.

A Gear wheel 26 adapted to normally engage the gear wheel 12 is rigidly mounted on a shaft 27, which is rotatably mounted in the housing 11 and has an abrasive wheel 10 rigidly mounted on the outer extremity thereof.

Assuming the shaft 9 of the motor to be rotating and the clutch out of engagement with the jaws of the gear wheel 12 as shown in Fig. s, the said gear wheel 12 is stationary on the shaft 9 and the clutch wheel or disk 16 is rotated with the said shaft. To engage the clutch wheel with the gear wheel the operator releases the pin 21 from engagement with the groove, subsequently turning the spring pin 21, causing the eccentric action of the annular element 24 in the segmental block 19 to slide the clutch wheel 16 on the shaft 9 in the direction of the gear wheel 12, placing the jaws 15 of the clutch wheel into interlocking engagement with the jaws 14 of the gear wheel 12 and transmitting rotation to the abrasive wheel 10 through the gear wheel 26 and the shaft 27, the teeth of the said gear wheel 26 being normally in engagement with the teeth of the gear wheel 12.

As a novel means of adjusting the feed of the abrasive wheels 10 to the track rails, I provide an arrangement wherein the aforementioned housings 11 containing the clutch mechanism and the transmission are pivotally mounted about the shaft 9 of the electric motor 8. I control the rotation of the housings 11 about the shafts 9 by means of suitable jack screws 28 having threads 29 thereon and adapted for engagement with similar threads 30 formed on the inner face of a bushing 3l normally maintained in a suitable support bracket 32 which is rigidly secured to the subframe 6 (see Fig. The jack screw 28 is respectively raised or lowered by the rotation of the bushing 3l which is operated by a hand wheel 33 suitably connectedwith the said bushing in any suitable manner, such as a key (not shown). The bushing is further maintained within the support bracket 32 by means of a collar 34 and nuts 35 and 36 respectively. The lower end of the jack screw 28 is secured to a transverse block 37 which has a suitable groove 38 formed on the inner face thereof and adapted to slide upon a. runner 39 formed on the adj acent face of the support bracket 32. The' connection from the transverse block 37 to the housing 1l is made through a link element 40 which is rotatably secured in a recess 4l formed in the under side of the transverse block 37 by means of a spindle 42. The other extremity of the link 40' is rotatably secured to the housing l1 by means of a spindle 43 secured in the raised portions 44 formed on the upper surface of the transmission housing 1l.

The clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of the hand wheel 33 respectively raises or lowers the jack screw 28 and by means of the action through the transverse blocks 37 and the links 40, this aforementioned raising or lowering of the jack screw affords a relative rotation of the housings l1 about the shaft 9, resulting respectively in the raising or lowering of the shafts 27, extending hori- Zontally from the said housings ll and upon which the abrasive wheels l() are rigidly mounted.

In the practice of grinding railway track rails, it is very often necessary to remove the machine from the vicinity of thetrack on a moments notice of the passage of a railway train or the like and in the past the operators of railway grinding machines have been greatly hampered by the bulk and weight of the machines in the removal thereof from they track; With this thought in mind, I provide a novel mechanism for elevating the machine substantially above the railroad track a distance which will bring the fianges of theA track wheels above the upper surface of the track rails and thus enable the operator to remove the machine from the vicinity of the track on short notice and with considerably less effort.

VThe above mechanism is in part mounted on a pair of transverse frame members 45 which are rigidly secured to the under face of the main frame beams l, l, A pair of rods 46 are rigidly mounted in the transverse frame members 45 as shown in Fig. 5. A

pair of links 47 are rotatably mounted on the aforementioned rods 46 vadjacent the two eX- tremities thereof furthest removed from the elevating mechanism set forth hereinafter and aI pair of bell crank levers 48 are ro- 7 tatably mounted adjacent the opposite ends o the rods 46, the longitudinal axes of the said bell crank levers 48 being substantially normal to the axes of the rods 46. A pair of rollers 49 are each rotatably mounted on one of a pair of shafts 50, each one of the said shafts 50 being mounted in the outer extremity of one of the links 47 and the outer extremity of the aligned arm 5l of the bell crank levers 48. The other arms 52 of the said bell crank levers are connected to a gear disk 53 which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 54 maintained in the support bracket 55. The aforementioned arms 52 of the bell crank levers 48 are connected to the gear di sk 53 by links 56, the said links 56 being eccentrically mounted on the gear 53 with respect to the centeror shaft 54 on which the gear 53 is mounted.

TVith the links 56 so positioned on the gear 53, the rotation of the said gear effects a force on the connecting links 56 and affords a rai sing or lowering of the rollers 49 through the action of the bell crank levers 48. A gear 57 of a diameter substantially smaller than the aforementioned gear 53 is positioned above the latter gear and in engagement therewith, the said gear 57 being mounted on a shaft 58 which is mounted in a suit-able casing 59, supported adjacent the gear 57 by the support arm 55 and at the outer extremity by a suitable support 60. The outer extremity of the shaft 58 is formed to constitute av crank handle desigf nated as 6l. In the present instance the gear 53 is provided with suitable apertures 62 which are so positioned on the said gear as to permit the spring pin 63, Fig. 7, to pass into'engagement therewith when the rollers 49 are in the fully raised or lowered position, and thus lock them in that position until the spring pin 63 is released by the operator.

The pin 63 in the present instance is provided with a suitable spring 64 which is adapted to force the aforementioned pin 63 into the apertures 62 when the rollers are in the raised and lowered positions respectively and at which time the said apertures 62 are disposed opposite the said pin 63.

In conjunction withl the novel elevating mechanism set forth above, I provide an auxiliary pair of rails composed of relatively light steel members 65 which are maintained in aV predetermined relation to each other by suitable space members 66 disposed intermediate the said rail members 65 and additional support members 67 which are connected between the space members and longilll) tudinally with respect to the auxiliary rails 65, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

The aforementioned auxiliary set of rails is adapted to be placed intermediate the rails of the track being ground and normal with respect thereto. A similar set of auxiliary rails 68 is provided and is adapted to be placed at one side of the railroad track and normal to the rails thereof in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, the purpose of the sets of auxiliary rims being to provide a suitable surface upon which the rollers 49 of the elevating mechanism may travel and thus enable the quick removal of the machine from the railway track.

To remove the machine from the track, the operator releases the pin 63 againstthe action of the spring 64 from engagement with one of the apertures 62 corresponding to the fully raised position of the rollers. The crank 61 is then rotated, thereby rotating the gear 57 and the gear 58, the rotation of the said gears causing the rollers 47 to assume the fully lowered position, through the action of the connecting levers 56 and the bell crank levers 48. When the rollers are in the fully lowered `position and raising the entire machine a substantial distance due to the said rollers coming into contact with the upper surface of the auxiliary rails 65, the pm 63 will engage the other of the apertures 62 and lock the machine elevating mechanism in this position and maintain the entire machine in an elevated position with respect to the track rails. I provide a pair of hand bars 69 supported by suitable brackets 70, secured to the subframe 6 and extending vertically upward therefrom and with the grinding machine in the raised position. The said machine may be moved on the rollers 49 and the rails and 65a to a position at one side of the track, the operator of the machine, by means of the aforementioned hand bars 69, lifting the said rollers 49 in turn across the space intermediate the sets of track rails.

It is often desirable to use a gas engine 8a as a source of power for the grinding inachine, and when such is incorporated, I provide certain modifications and additions in conjunction with the machine which doV not appear in the preferred form, and which are shown in Figs. 8 to 12 inclusive of the drawings.

The clutch mechanism in this instance is disposed intermediate the shafts 9, extending from the ends of the engine and normal to the track rails, and similar shafts 9a mounted within the casings 71 on the subfraine 6. The gear and clutch housings 11 and the feed adjusting means attached thereto are substantially as described above with the clutch mechanism omitted. The clutch mechanism in the present instance is in the form of a jaw clutch and comprises the clutch disk 72 mounted adjacent the outer extremity of the shaft 9, the said disk 72 being rigidly mounted on the said shaft 9 by means of a key 7 8 and having suitable jaws 74 on the outer face thereof for interlocking engagement with similar jaws 75 on the adjacent face of a similar clutch disk 76. The said disk 76 is rigidly mounted on the inner end of the shaft 9o and is normally held out of engagement with the disk 72 by a suitable spring 77 mounted intermediate the disk 76 and a retaining collar 78 secured to the inner end of the shaft 9a as shown in Fig. 10 of the drawings. The clutch disk 76 in the present instance abuts one face of a ball hearing collar 79, the other face of which abuts a clutch operating cam member 80, the said cam member 8O being slidably mounted with respect to the shaft 9e. i

It should be particularly noted that the cam disk 8O does not rotate with the shaft 9a and that the rotation of the adjacent clutch disk 76 with the shaft 9a is permissible, due to the ball bearing collar 79, which is disposed intermediate the said clutch member 76 and the cam disk 80. The outer face of the cam member 8() is provided with a. plurality of oblique jaws 81 adapted for interlocking engagement with similar oblique jaws 82 formed on the adjacent face of a similar cam disk 83, the aws of the said cam disks being normally in engagement with each other. The cani disk 88 is mounted a o f" Ythe sl .'f 9a by means of a ball bearing collar 84, which permits the cam disk 83 to remain stationary irrespective of the rotation of the shaft 9a. The clutch is operated by means of a handle 85 which is secured to the cam disk 83 by means of an outwardly extending member 86 which is rigidly secured to the said cam disk 83. As above stated, the jaws 81 and 82 of the respective cam disks are normally in interlocking enico gagement with each other and the movement of the lever 86 in a counter-clockwise direction, by means of handle 85 forces the jaws of the cam disk 80 out of engagement with the jaws of the cam disk 88 and since the said cam disk 83 is not slidably mounted about the shaft casing 71 and since the cam disk 80 is slidably mounted with respect to the shaft, the said cam disk 80 must slide in the direction of the internal combustion engine 8a and against the action of the spring 77 and cause the jaws 75 of the clutch disk 76 to engage with the similar jaws 74 on the adjacent face of the clutch disk 72, mounted on the shaft 9 by means of the key 73, as shown in Fig. 10 of the drawings.

Also, in machines where an internal combustion engine is used as the source of power, I provide a novel starting mechanism therefor which is adapted to entail a very high degree of safety to the operator and eliminate any chance of injury resulting to him from a kick-back of the motor. rlhis starting means is in t-he form of a crank and comprises a lever 87 having a collar 88 which is pivotally mounted about the shaft 9 and adjacent the internal combustion engine 8c. The outer extremity of the lever 87 is formed to constitute a handle 89. A releasing member 90 is pivotally mounted at the lower part of the handle by means of a suitable pin 91 and is connected through a rod 98 to a pawl 92. A spring 94 is mounted on the rod 93 and maintains the pawl 92 normally out of engagement with the teeth of the sprocket wheel 95, rigidly mounted on one extremity of the shaft 9 of the engine.

To start the engine, the lever or crank is placed as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9 of the drawings, the operator being on the opposite side of the machine therefrom and pulling the handle toward him. The pawl 92 actuated by the lever 89 is placed in engagement with the teeth of the sprocket wheel 95 and when the crank has assumed the position nearest the operator, the release of the pressure of the operators hand on the lever 90, causes the spring 94 to move the pawl 92 from engagement with the teeth of the aforementioned sprocket wheel 95.

It will be apparent that while I have set forth the preferred forms of the invention for the purpose of description, certain modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

l. In a railway track grinding machine of the type described comprising a frame and having traction wheels supporting said frame, a pair of rollers secured to the under side of the frame and parallel to the rails of the track, a pair of bell crank levers, one arm of each being connected to one. of the rollers, means for operating the said bell crank levers to cause the rollers to be respectively raised or lowered, means for locking the said rollers in the fully raised or fully lowered position, and sets of auxiliary rails disposed transversely to the track rails and adapted to support the rollers when in the fully lowered position.

2. A portable railway track grinding machine comprising a main frame, traction wheels supporting said frame and adapted to travel on the rails to be ground, a transverse subframe slidably mounted on the main frame, a source of power mounted on the subframe, the shaft thereof extending from each end transversely to the track rails, a housing pivotally mounted adjacent the outer extremities of the shafts, the said housing containing suitable clutch and gear mechanisms for transmitting power from the engine shafts to shafts mounted in the outer end of the housings, an abrasive wheel mounted on each of the latter shafts, the said abrasive wheels being normally disposed above the rails of the track to be ground and intermediate the traction wheels traveling on the said rail, a jack screw for controlling the pivoting of the gear housing about the power shaft whereby the vertical feed of the abrasive wheels to the track rails may be controlled, and rollers mounted on the underside of the main frame, the said rollers being raised or lowered by means of bell crank levers operated by gears, and adapted when in the full lowered position to travel on sets of auxiliary rails, disposed normal to the track rails for facilitating the removal of the machine from -the vicinity of the railway track.

8. A portable railway track grinding machine comprising a main frame, track wheels supporting said frame and arranged to travel on the rails to be ground, a subframe slidably mounted on the main frame, a source of power including a drive shaft, housings pivotally mounted adjacent the outer extremities of said shaft, a stub shaft rotatably mounted in each housing and oset from the drive shaft, means in said housings for transmitting power from said drive shaft to the stub shaft, an abrasive wheel mounted on each of said stub shafts, means for controlling the pivoting of the housing about the drive shaft effecting regulation of the feed of the abrasive wheels to the track rails, and rollers mounted on the under side of the main frame of the machine, a pair of levers each connected to one of said rollers, means for operating said levers to cause said rollers to be respectively raised or lowered, and when in the full lowered position to clear the flanges of the track wheels from the track rails, permitting the entire machine to be pushed from the vicinity thereof on the rollers.

HENRY PERAZZOLI.

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